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The trustees requested the unpaid leaves to concentrate on their campaigns for the June 12 provincial election.

Malhi’s leave begins May 12 and White’s began May 2, according to school board officials. Both leaves end June 13.

Malhi is the Liberal Party candidate in the riding of Brampton-Springdale, while White is running for the Progressive Conservatives in Mississauga-Erindale.

Peel public school trustees receive a yearly salary of $26,696. They are paid every two weeks, which means White would give up $3,334 and Malhi about $2,224 during their leaves of absence.

“I don’t believe I should be campaigning on the public dime at all,” said Malhi, who has been a trustee since the 2010 municipal election. “It’s not appropriate. It’s not the right thing to do.”

This is her first foray into provincial politics, but believes the last 3 ½ years advocating as trustee for residents in Wards 9 and 10 have provided valuable experience.

“Brampton-Springdale is my home,” she remarked. “I live in Brampton-Springdale for one. I’ve grown up here and this is my riding. This is where I’ve worked.”

Malhi believes she has built notoriety and credibility in the community.

The 33-year-old is the daughter of longtime Brampton Liberal MP Gurbax Malhi, who spent 18 years in the House of Commons before an election defeat in 2011.

“My father had a very reputable career in politics, but I think I’ve taken the opportunity to also build my own roots,” she said.

“I am my father’s daughter at the end of the day, but I’ve also built my own base.”

Malhi added she shares Kathleen Wynne’s vision for Ontario and is troubled by the plans Conservative Leader Tim Hudak has for the province. In particular, she warned, many of the public service jobs the Tories plan to cut will be slashed from the education system.

“That scares me,” she said.

White, who has lived in Mississauga for 26 years, was nominated to run in Mississauga-Erindale more than a year ago.

He has been a trustee since 2006. At deadline, he was unavailable for comment. But after his provincial election nomination, White said the “out of control” spending of the Liberals had led the province into an economic downturn.

He criticized Wynne for increasing teacher salaries, teacher planning time and school board costs.

During their leaves of absence, Malhi’s constituency matters will be handled by Brampton Wards 2 and 6 Trustee Suzanne Nurse and White’s constituency will become the responsibility of Wards 1 and 7 Trustee Janet McDougald.

There are no provisions under the Education Act that require a trustee to take a leave of absence to run for a provincial or federal seat.

If Malhi or White loses their bid for provincial election, they can return to their trustee position after the leave of absence is over and run in October’s municipal election if they wish. Should they win a seat at Queen’s Park, the school board would have to decide how to replace vacated trustee position, or if at all, given the short time frame before the municipal vote.

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(3) Comment

By John|JUNE 06, 2014 05:58 PM

Both of these elected officials (one a Liberal and the other a PC) are abandoning their duties as trustees. Unless an elected official steps aside for health or family reasons, it is shameful to abandon ship for supposedly greener pastures. Two examples of individuals only in it for themselves. Shame on the school board for agreeing to give them a leave of absence (i.e. life raft) to come back if they lose the provincial election.

What leave of absence? they should resign! So if they lose, they get to go back to their former jobs...? talk about playing both sides...that should go to show anyone what the real priorities are for these trustees: grab the golden ring in public office and serve the self! Say no to them!

The PeelDSB isn't known as a hotbed of democracy. Rather its known for its clowntrust. Citizens of Peel Region can only hope the June 12 election leads to the adoption of charter schools and charter schools in both Brampton and Mississauga. Otherwise we will be faced with many more years of education gridlock where parents are shunted aside by the educrats in favor of schoolboard cronyism